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John Carollo to teach Watercolor Workshop at Crealde School of Art in Fall 2025

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo will be teaching a one-day Watercolor Workshop at Crealde School of Art on September 21, 2025. Titled “Collaborating with Watercolor,” the class will focus on how the watercolor medium can often have a mind of its own and a tendency to assert its independence at every opportunity, but rather than fight with it, a collaborative approach where both artist and paint share control helps unlock unique atmospheric and transparency effects. Through demonstrations and discussion, students will discover the surprising, therapeutic results they can achieve by letting the flow of the paint take the lead.

The theme of the workshop was inspired by how often John hears comments from people about how “hard,” “unforgiving,” and “frustrating” the medium can be, cleverly summed up in the famous response to a question by Impressionist artist Edgar Degas:

…when asked by a woman what kind of watercolors she should buy her son, his reply was that she would be safer buying the child a revolver.

Following the lead of the flowing paint, an approach John uses extensively in his distinctive Controlled Chaos painting style, can be freeing, therapeutic, and a lot of fun. Students will be encouraged to try new techniques and develop their own through trial and error which may open possibilities they may not have previously considered.

Click here to learn more and reserve a spot.

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The First of John Carollo’s Public Art Traffic Boxes is Now Installed in Orlando

After an over three-year process, in partnership with Orange County and Lee Road Safe Neighborhood, the first of two designs created by artist John Carollo to add roadside beautification to traffic control boxes in the area is now installed. Located at the intersection of Lee Rd. and Diplomat Circle, in North Orlando, just outside the boundary of the City of Winter Park, FL, the design is a composite image, created by the artist, based on his 13 x 16 foot hand-painted silk and aluminum sculpture, Icarus Ascends.

The vibrant colors really help to enhance what was a pretty bleak intersection and John is always pleased to add a bit of color and beauty to the world wherever he can. A second box created by the artist, featuring entirely different artwork, will be coming to another main entrance to Winter Park on another major road nearby in the future.

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Monthly Sip and Shop Events

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL – Artist John Carollo’s Gallery Shop (Booth A17) will be part of the monthly Sip & Shop taking place at The Mercantile, from 4-7pm, the first Thursday of every month. John will be present meeting people and discussing the new work in his shop during this fun event, which includes two complimentary drinks per visitor.

The Mercantile is located at 1260 E Altamonte Dr, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

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John Carollo Introduces Art Magnets to his Gallery Shop

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo has recently added magnetic prints of some of his better-known paintings to his Gallery Shop, Booth A17 at The Mercantile in the Greater Orlando area of Altamonte Springs.

Of similar quality to art magnets available from museum gift shops, the initial batch includes 2″x3″ reproductions of the pieces Dance Study I, Eye of the Storm, and Lake Eola – Rain, all of which where showcased in local media in the past. More prints of other pieces will be added in the future.

These magnets are a fun, inexpensive way to add a bit of Carollo’s distinctive Controlled Chaos artistic flair to any metal surface, and also make a great gift.

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John Carollo Reveals “Fragmentation” Series of New Work

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo recently introduced his new series or watercolor collage artwork entitled “Fragmentation.” Based on the idea that sometimes, unexpected events will cause life to explode and fragment in ways we never anticipated. However, beauty can be found in the pieces as we work to reassemble them into a new version of our lives.

The concept is presented in a series of work through paintings  which are completed, deconstructed, and then, from the pieces, reformed into dynamic new compositions. The raised, attached collage pieces create interesting shadows, reminiscent of Carollo’s previous 3D constructions.

On display in the artist’s new Gallery Shop – Booth A17 at The Mercantile in the Greater Orlando area of Altamonte Springs, Florida, the seven initial pieces in the series are all available for purchase.